Furnace for bending and shaping sheet-glass, &amp;c.



No. 787,437. PATENTBD APR, 18, 1905.

,w. CUTLER. I FURNACE FOR'BENDING AND SHAPING SHEET GLASS, &0.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30,1904.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No.787,487. I PATENTED APR.18,1905.

' w. CUTLER. I

' FURNACE FOB. BENDING AND SHAPING SHEET GLASS, &o. I APPLIUATION FILEDMAB. 30,1904.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2L ,F/QS.

lmum/ f UNITED STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

P TENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM CUTLER, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,437, dated April18, 1905.

Application filed March 30, 1904:- Serial No. 200,738.

T (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM CUTLER, manufactu rer, a subject of theKing of Great Britaim, and a resident of 71 Gough road, Edgbaston,Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in and Relating to Furnaces for Bending andShaping Sheet-Glass and the Like, (for which I have applied for a patentin Great Britain, PatentNo. 28,307, dated the 24th day of December,1903,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to furnaces for bending and shaping sheet-glassand the like in a mold by the action of the atmospheric pressure on theone side of the glass when heated while the air is being exhausted, soas to remove the pressure from the other side, as set forth in UnitedStates Patent No. 544,248, dated the 7th of August, 1895, the object ofthese improvements being to facilitate the rapid placing and fixing ofthe sheet-glass in the molds and the removal of the articles therefromafter being shaped, as also the rapid connection and disconnection ofthe vacuum-pipe to and from the mold without materially affecting thetemperature of the heating-chamber.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and more easilycarried into practice, I have appendedhereunto two sheets of drawings,upon which I have illustrated the nature of my said invention.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the furnace with the mold inposition ready for the insertion of the sheet-glass or the removal ofthe finished article. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the furnace shown byFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line A B through the furnaceillustrated by Fig. 1, but showing the mold in position as when underexhaust. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the clips for raising the clamp,as shown by Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan of the mold-clamp when detached.Fig. 6 is a section of the connection to the mold exhaust-pipe.

In carrying this invention into effect the furnace consists of a grate 2and two chambers 3 and 4, the heating one, 3, of which is placed in aposition adjacent to the grate 2, from which it is divided by a suitablebridge 5. Upon the reverse side of the heatingchamber 3 to that of thegrate 2 the changechamber 4 is provided for the insertion of the glassand the removal of the articles from the mold 7, while the flue 8 to thestack 9 is preferably placed over or below and in close proximity to theheating-chamber 3 and is provided with a suitable damper for theregulation of the draft.

The mold 7 is placed upon a truck 27, which is mounted to travel on atramway running between the heating and change chambers, by which meansthe sheet of glass can be inserted in the mold and the article removedthrough the outerdoor 10 without materially affecting the temperature ofthe heating-chamber 3. I

For retaining the sheet-glass in the mold 7 during the operation of thevacuum process a heavy metal frame or clamp 11 requires to be loweredand deposited upon the mold 7, and such lowering action must be effectedwith a perfectly true vertical movement, so as to always find itscorrect seat upon the mold. to efiect which a lever 12 is pivoted upon asupport which is fixed to the furnace, such lever being provided with agrooved segment 13 at the end, with the pivot 14 at its center and whichis immediately over the mold 7, while an operating-handle 15 issuspended from the other end of the lever. One end, 16, of avertically-hanging chain 17 is fixed to the extreme top 16 of thesegment and rests in the segment-groove, by which means the chain 17 hasa true vertical movement, and thereby raises and lowers the mold-clamp11 in the same manner. Toggle or other suitable clips or clutches 18 areprovided upon a suitable frame-terminal 19 to the chain 17, whichengages with the projections 28 of the clamp 11 when raising same andwhich can be disengaged therefrom when so required to allow of the moldand clamp passing into the heating-chamber. In place of the segment theframe 11 may be raised by other means, such as a chain passing overgrooved pulleys.

The vacuum-pipe 20, which projects from the mold 7 in a horizontaldirection, is pro-- vided with a flanged end 21 andjs sufiiciently largeto allow the end of the connecting-pipe 22 to socket thereon, suchconnecting-pipe being provided at one end with a flange 23, which buttsagainst the flange 21 upon the mold-pipe, and thereby forms apractically air-tight connection, while the other end of the pipe 22 isadapted to be connected to the pump or other means for exhausting theair by a flexible pipe, thus enabling the pipe connection to be rapidlymade through the aperture 25, which is provided in the side of theheating-chamber, a small sliding door 26 being provided above to enablethe workman to readily make the connection and watch the action of theglass in the mold.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The improvements in and relating to furnaces for vacuum bending andshaping sheetglass and the like, characterized by a pair of heating andchange chambers having a tramway connection between the two with truckfor conveying the mold from one to the other, in combination with amold, a clamp, an exhaust-pipe, a vertically-moving clutch operated fromthe exterior for raising and lowering the clamp, an aperture or door inthe side of the furnace and means for coupling up the exhaust-pipe tothe mold substantially for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twoWitnesses.

WILLIAM CUTLER. Witnesses:

WALTER E. .BARTLAM, JUSTUS Jones.

